A Taste of Soul

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fellow--Victor Swanson, the owner--which also means orders can take awhile or he may be out of an item or two. After having moved his restaurant a couple of times around Ypsi, Swanson has been at his present location for a few years; let's hope he stays for the long haul.

I could easily eat the baked chicken once a week. Tender, moist, infused with spice and salt and a bit of heat, it is falling-off-the-bone delicious. With a square of cornbread--light, not too sweet--and sides of red beans and rice; sharp, long-cooked turnip greens; or herbed green beans, I can finish my meal content, with leftovers for lunch the next day. The portions are incredibly generous and incredibly inexpensive given the amount of food. The combo dinners--two meats, two sides--could easily feed two normal appetites.

While I kept exclaiming over the baked chicken, my mother favored Biggie's lightly breaded, crispy fried chicken, also moist and tender, and his creamy black-eyed peas and coleslaw. Even if I have a preference, I can't really say either style of chicken wins big over the other; both deserve accolades.

Ribs always engender debate--meatiness, smokiness, tenderness, sauciness. While Biggie's slabs were meaty, tender, and flavorful, they didn't have the characteristic smoky taste of wood, and they were drenched in an overly sweet, undistinguished sauce. Next time I'll see if I can order them sans sauce.